Blog 4

The topic I have chosen to reflect upon for my personal essay is one that I hadn’t thought about until we brought an object to class that in some way represented a piece of us. I never thought that my ring I always wear would bring back so many memories of the time in my life when I almost drowned. The topic I would like to discuss is a flag. The flag I am talking about is one that marks a huge change in my life. On a beach in the panhandle of Florida about 5 years ago, two drowning incidents almost occurred and if a flag had been there at that time I doubt either of them would have. I never really think about that day out on the water, the memory is too painful; my mistake could have cost my life and the life of my father. I always wonder why I almost drowned, why I didn’t drown and why my dad would risk everything to save me. The flag wasn’t there that day, the 2nd day of January. Of course the flag is there now, which is why it is so important to me. Families might see that flag and think nothing of it; to them it is a color coded guide of the sea, an indicator of whether it is safe to enter the ocean. I will always see that flag for what it is, a memory of a day in my life, a life changing event that opened my eyes at such a young age and taught me how to see things differently.